Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love has declared for the NFL draft.
Love, 20, made the announcement on Tuesday, days after finishing third in Heisman Trophy voting.
He thanked his family, teammates and coaches at Notre Dame in a post on social media.
“Making the decision to attend Notre Dame was easy because of the people,” the junior said. “From the amazing football support staff to my fellow students — I could not have picked a better place for me to grow into the man I am today.
“It is with a wealth of gratitude I will take the many experiences Notre Dame has given me and apply those lessons learned as I move onto the next level. I look forward to representing my family and Notre Dame in the NFL.”
Love had a big season for the Fighting Irish as he racked up 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, while adding 27 receptions for 280 yards and three receiving scores.
His 21 all-purpose touchdowns broke the single-season school record set by Jerome Bettis in 1991.
Love was named the winner of the Doak Walker Award — given to college football’s top running back — making him the first recipient from Notre Dame.
It was his second straight monster year, as he rushed for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns during his sophomore season and helped the Fighting Irish reach the national championship game.
Love is now being viewed as the top running back in the 2026 draft class, and some experts have him as a potential top-five pick.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. projected Love to go No. 3 overall, and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked him as the No. 5 prospect overall recently.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
